Kathie Lee Gifford hails 'friend' Trump for protecting her when a 'psychopathic murderer' threatened her

Kathie Lee Gifford has opened up about how Donald Trump protected her family during a threat
Kathie Lee Gifford praised Donald Trump for his generosity 30 years ago (Getty Images and YouTube/Sage Steele Podcast)
Kathie Lee Gifford praised Donald Trump for his generosity 30 years ago (Getty Images and YouTube/Sage Steele Podcast)

WASHINGTON, DC: One of the most polarizing figures in politics, Donald Trump seldom fails to surprise his followers through his acts!

However, even before the 78-year-old GOP spearhead became the commander-in-chief, he was a man with remarkable power, and longtime talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford can attest to it. 

Speaking to ESPN host Sage Steele on her podcast, ‘The Sage Steele Show’, the former host of ‘Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee’ opened up about how her “friend Donald” and how he had protected her family during a time of crisis.



 

Kathie Lee Gifford opens up about her friendship with Donald Trump

Kathie Lee Gifford, 71, recently appeared on Sage Steele’s eponymous show where she shared a more humane and personal side of the most powerful man on earth, as reported by Whiskey Riff.

While the former ‘Today’ host has mostly stayed away from politics, she opened up about her connection with Trump recently, when she shared that the president once helped protect her family from death threats. 

In 1993, shortly after she gave birth to her daughter Cassidy, Gifford was scheduled to attend the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. The pageant was owned by, none other than the once television mogul, Donald Trump. 

However, just before her trip commenced, Gifford received a death threat from a dangerous man. She even received a tip from the FBI, which asked her to stick to her plans and not cancel going to Atlantic City in fear of derailing the perpetrator’s actions, as they were tracking him. 

The veteran television presenter further shared that before her husband, Frank, agreed to the proposal, he said he would be making a call, 

Gifford shared, “Frank said, ‘I’m going to make one call. I will not agree to that until I make one call.’ And he called Donald….”

Kathy Lee Gifford and Frank Gifford attend the New York Giants Super Bowl Pep Rally Luncheon at Michael's on February 1, 2012, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for New York Giants)
Kathy Lee Gifford and Frank Gifford attend the New York Giants Super Bowl Pep Rally Luncheon at Michael's on February 1, 2012, in New York City (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for New York Giants)

She continued to reveal what transpired later, saying, “I always stayed at the Trump Tower there…in Atlantic City. And Frank called Donald, and told him about the situation. And Donald said – and this is why I will love this man for my whole life – he said, ‘Frank, don’t you worry about it. I’ve got your girls.'”

As Trump gave his assurance, Gifford’s husband too greenlit their plan and stuck to the regular schedule.

However, Gifford admitted that she did not have any idea what was going on. The television personality revealed that before she left for the pageant, she got a call from Trump, who informed her that he would be sending his helicopter to pick them up. 

He, however, did not tell her the reason, and when asked, just said that it was to help Gifford because she had just welcomed her child. 

Kathie Lee Gifford said her 'friend' Donald Trump 'saved' her life

Kathie Lee Gifford Gifford shared that when she went to Atlantic City, she was met with security who would guard her through the entire trip. 

“I didn’t know what they were talking about. First of all, I just had a baby, you have all kinds of stuff going on…and I said, ‘Thank you guys,’ and I never thought about it,” she added, before continuing, “And all week long, more and more people, every day, more and more guys, until the very end…”

She noted further, “I had a guy staying outside my hotel room all week long. Outside my hotel room. And I said, ‘Why?’ I just never thought about it… But he never said a word. Nobody said a word to me.”

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 13: U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. Prime Minister Modi is meeting with President Trump to discuss tariffs and trade relations in the wake of President Trump’s announcement on implementing reciprocal tariffs. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump listens as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025, in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

However, later when she was reading a newspaper on the day of the pageant she came to know about the threat through the headline, “Kathie Lee Gifford Death Threat.” 

It was her epiphanic moment when she realized the protective measures Trump took to help and protect her family. Nevertheless, the man was captured later, making them breathe a sigh of relief.

Concluding, she gushed, “The story I just told you is the man I know. That’s my friend Donald. Saved my life, saved my daughter’s life. And if I called him today, would save it again.”

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